Plastic Free July: Tips from Love Thy Earth

Is your Plastic Free July not working out as well as planned? Don’t fret you are not alone. It only takes a few simple steps to create sustainable lifestyle choices and the Founder and CEO of Love Thy Earth Renee Hillier is here to help!

Plastic Free July started with just 40 participants and since 2010, it has grown into a global movement and one of the most-influential environmental campaigns in the world, with over 120 million participants from over 177 million countries around the world.

I am hearing you! It seems near impossible to avoid single use plastics completely, making it hard to reach the plastic free dream! Almost everything we buy nowadays has some form of packaging, but it is possible to make better decisions when it comes to buying, such as purchasing products with minimal packaging, buying in bulk, buying items loose, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholegrain, you can even buy chocolate in bulk these days Winning! Aim to eat organic foods to avoid extra burden on our precious earth and our health.

We do have to start somewhere right! So why not we start with the top 4 single- use plastics that you could start reducing today.

PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES

One of the biggest polluters of our waterways, instead why not take a sturdy reusable water bottle with you. These days you can even refill your bottle at a water station near you (Natrapure, Water 3, or Alkafil). This will reduce your plastic use and still keep you hydrated. Cheeki bottles are available in store.

image via @cheeki_bottles

COFFEE CUPS

Coffee cups are paper yes! However they are lined with a thin, clear layer of plastic, making them impossible to recycle. In fact you cannot recycle a coffee cup via your council kerbside recycling collection (your yellow bin). Instead why not bring with you your very own coffee cup. This will not only reduce your daily plastic waste, but also is a much healthier choice for you, as you do not want to be heating up plastics, and coffee is HOT! KeepCups, Joko cups and cheeki cups are available in store.

STRAWS

Wherever you go, aim to refuse single use plastic straws, these contain BPA and are causing destructive damage to our health and the environment. Instead bring your own reusable straw when out and about. Bamboo straws are the winner in my eyes, as bamboo is not only 100% natural fibre but it is also a fast growing grass, safe on the planet and on us. Bamboo, silicone and stainless steel straws are available in store.

image via evereco.com.au

BAGS

Plastic bags are made from fossil fuel plastic (polyethylene). These bags are not recyclable and are causing destruction to our planet and our health, particularly in our waterways harming precious marine life. Instead opt for a natural fibre bag made from cotton, hemp or linen. Love Thy Earth have a beautiful range of reusable eco bags, which are ethically, Australian made. Sold in all of our Flannerys stores on the Gold Coast, Kunara marketplace and Kunara garden centre on the Sunshine coast.